The class of polyamide polymers which is the major polymeric component of the blends of the invention has been known for many years. These polymers, also known as Nylons, have gained extensive commercial recognition in the production of numerous types of objects produced by many of the methods conventional for the processing of such thermoplastic polymers. Although the polyamides are useful in the formation of three-dimensional objects such as gears and motor housings, the most frequent use is probably in the production of fibers and filaments and the yarns and fabrics produced therefrom. There are, however, certain limitations imposed by the properties of the polyamide polymers which limit their usage in some applications. It would be of advantage to retain the more desirable properties of the polyamide polymers and yet improve other properties, particularly when the polyamide polymers are to be reinforced as by the presence of reinforcing materials such as glass fibers. These advantages are often obtained through the provision of polymer blends.
Blends of polyamide polymers are known wherein the properties of the polyamide have been modified. For example, Epstein, U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,358, describes blends of a number of polymers in a polyamide matrix which are said to show improved ductility and toughness. Blends wherein the polyamide polymer is a major or component with lesser amounts of the linear alternating polymer of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon and an acidic polymer are disclosed by copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 429,915, filed 10/31, 1989.
Blends wherein the polyamide polymer is a minor component with a major proportion of the linear alternating polymer are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,437. Such blends additionally containing an acidic polymer having moieties of .alpha.-olefin and .alpha.,.beta.-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid are disclosed in copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 429,913, filed 10/31, 1989. The presence of these minor components serves to improve certain of the properties of the linear alternating polymer. It has now been found that reinforced polymeric blends wherein the polyamide polymer is the major component demonstrate improvement in certain properties upon blending with the linear alternating polymer and, optionally, with the acidic polymers.